Friday, January 08, 2010

challenges

yesterday i sewed kuspuks with 2nd graders again. oh how i love little ones and seeing excitement of using sewing machine. we got the body section's necks cut open,sleeves to body,cuffs to sleeves,and side seams and sleeves. the children help every step of the way.

only four 7 year olds out of 16 got to sew so far.others can't wait. oh they are so cute.. they measure, pin, guide fabric, unpin as we go.t hey love lifting feed dogs up and down. i make it silly and fun for me as well as them. another 7 year old took photo.

think i can sew with one arm?

i slipped on black ice, broke my left wrist, radius bone of arm,in many many places. dislocated wrist bones, creating big hump on hand and huge amount of swelling, numbness mixing with great pain.

dr said it was a very bad break. see a specialist about surgery next tues..typing this with a finger.

i am so sad i won't be much help to my parents now. it takes me and my dad working together to lift, turn mom over or around, feed, change and dress her. and dad turns 93 0n 15th.

guess i will be slowing down a bit.

you just do what you have to do and you do the best you can with challenges of any kind.

25 comments:

Michelle,My thoughts and prayers go to you and your family. That break is a very paingful one. Please take care of yourself. I would love to be there to watch the childeren's faces and smiles as they sew.

Michele,What a strong lady you must be. I have had a similar situation with my mother and since the massive stroke she had to be placed in the nursing home.

Above all Michele please please take care of yourself. Your arm will heal over time and then you can go back to taking care of your mother. You can leave your mother in a nursing home long enough for your arm to heal and then take her home. What a good life and tremendous load you carry. If she has insurance I think it will pay for 3 months care.

Wow - I am so sorry you are hurt. I hope you heal speedily and surely. Please do take care of yourself. Maybe you can use your time to call around to find out what services are available for your mother. Sometimes we try to do too much, when there is help available around the corner.

Ouch! Michele, don't over-do until you've seen the specialist. Don't want to do more harm. I've been in the same position with my mom in the tub and am so glad there wasn't a camera around! LOL You muat be very strong & determined! Love the kids! You are so wonderful to share your love of sewing with them.

Oh, Michele! Oh, how life can change in the blink of an eye ... or literally a slip on the ice. I'm so sorry you and your family are going through this time ... especially with the added pain and difficulty for you. My prayers are being said.

Bless your heart, you have worse luck than I do;)I avoid ice after my last spill, I just popped out my ribs again, so at least I could sit and work on projects.I hope your healing goes well and blessings to your family.

My dear Michele,It makes me want to cry just thinking of you trying to do so much while you are hurt yourself.What an unfortunate thing to happen at this time.Listen to the specialist - so that arm heals properly- you don't want it to cause you problems in the future.( Not trying to be too bossy or nag - just worrying about you)Your young friends will enjoy your sewing times as always. I am sure that the kids will help you and do whatever they can to make their sewing projects.

Sending you warm thoughts and good wishes. I wish I could send you two strong adults to help you in Alaska. VBG

I'm praying you heal very fast Michele. I wish you could get some help there. It seems like too much for you to handle right now and I hope it doesn't affect the proper healing of your wrist. Sorry for sounding naggy. Just worried about you.

For pity's sake! What next??!! Do you suppose Someone is trying to tell you something? Like maybe to slow down just a bit? Gadzooks Michele, you won't be any good to anybody if you're incapacitated yourself!!!

Okay, rant over. PLEASE try to take care of yourself, even when you're trying to take care of those you love. sheesh. You'd think you were Superwoman or something.

I am caretaker for man in beginning stages of dementia, half-denying,half-believing what I see taking place slowly before my eyes. I endure verbal abuse, and heartache as I see his mental functioning diminish. I cherish each day I get to myself, when he is visiting his children or friends. Right now he's gone on a fishing trip for 5 days and I am relaxed for the first time in a long while. I was moving very fast, pushing myself as I helped to move him into a new apartment just before Christmas, when I tore a ligament in my knee - incapacitating me completely for about 4-5 days. I accepted that as a reminder from God that I can't do it all, that I can't fix him, and that I need to rest for a while, and regenerate. I am thinking that the situation with your arm and wrist may be a similar message: we often don't take care of ourselves and push to the limit, and the only way He can get our attention is to let us end up flat on our backs, incapacitated in some fashion, so we can rest up for the rest of the journey. The idea of putting your mother in a nursing home for a short while sounds excellent. Both you and your sister can take time to get your batteries recharged. God bless you.

Oh my, Michele, how awful for you. I'm sitting here thinking about your situation and this new challenge -- and am completely flabbergasted. Just like most everyone has commented, you need to take care of yourself as well as make sure your parents have the care they need. Is there an organization there that can give you some help each day? Maybe the doctor (or nurse staff) treating you know of some resources considering your current physical dilemma. I honestly don't know the answer but shall certainly keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Oh Michele! No! No! We can't have this. Of course, we can't control the ways of the Universe either. Yet. ...or all the time. heh. I'm certain there's nothing here I can say to you about the wisdom in this, the slowing down that needs to happen, the time for you to care for yourself. I'm certain. You already know this. There is nothing new under the sun that can be said. The only thing we must ask is "are you ready to listen?" and allow for yourself to heal and to let others take over? Oh friend, this is a really tough one. Dearest. I wish I could do something worthy of you, to care for you, to love you, to hold you and heal you. I'll be watching and sending my Spirit out to you for company and sturdy guidance every time you start to forget to... let go...

I'm a caregiver to my husband and tonight I was feeling very sorry for myself and a little depressed.Now I come and read your blog and .... I realizeI'm not alone in this situation. I can really relate to what you are going through Michele.I was wondering if you have a Visiting Nurse Service in your area that may help your mother (and father) while youare healing. You really do need to take care of yourself Michele; you need to be relieved for a little while and heal.My prayers will be for you and your family.Blessings